Combined purse and billfold



Sept. 30, 1958 F ow 2,854,051

COMBINED PURSE AND BILLF OLD Filed March 5, 1956 INVENTOR. Lowe.

A rranzma Y5 COMBINED PURSE AND BILLFOLD Frederick Kenneth Lowe, Bayside, N. Y., assignor to Marioness & (10., Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application March 5, 1956, Serial No. 569,457

Claims. (Cl. 15035) This invention relates to a combined purse and billfold of improved construction.

The combined purse and billfold of the present invention has a well-defined deep purse of stable configuration and a billfold integral therewith into which bills may be inserted in extended condition. The billfold has at least two separate parallel bill compartments, which communicate with a side wall or the side walls of the purse through slots or mouth which receive money bills lengthwise in unfolded condition, so that bills may be withdrawn endwise from each bill compartment through the respective slots.

The combined purse and billfold of the invention is generally of the type shown in Patent No. 2,298,543. Such device is handy, compact, and retains both coins and money bills securely. The bill compartment or wallet section of the device isfoldable transversely to its length, whereby to conserve space and to retain the bills more securely. Bills may be taken from the open change purse section without unfolding or otherwise opening the wallet section. Such prior devices, however, have only one bill compartment. When a number of bills of mixed denominations are retained in the bill compartment of such prior device, the user must pay close attention, when he withdraws one or more bills endwise from the bill compartment through the slot, to make sure that he is taking out a bill or bills of the desired value. p v

The present invention overcomes such disadvantages of the described prior devices by providing a combined purse and billfold having at least two separate, generally similar bill compartments communicating with the recess of'the purse through separate slots in 'a wall or the walls of the'purse, whereby to allow endwise withdrawal of bills in laterally extended condition from both bill compartments through the respective slots. The combined purse and billfold of the present invention is of such construction that atleast twobill compartments are provided therein without adding appreciably to'the bulkof the'device, and with but little addition of weight thereto.

The invention has among its objects the provision of an improved combined purse and billfoldh'aving a plurality of s'eparatemoney bill-holding compartments. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of'a'combined purse and billfold of the type indicated of attractive, generally symmetrical appearance when the :billfold or wallet portion thereof is folded. Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of a combined purse and billfoldhaving a plurality of separate bill-holding com partm'ents, there being separate, distinct-slots or mouths conhecting the ends of the respective bill compartments with a wall or wall of the purse.

Still another object of the invention, in one preferred embodiment thereof, is the provision of a combined purse and billfold having a plurality of bill-holding compartments'on one side of the purse of the device, the slots or mouths connecting the ends of the billfold compartments lying in spaced relation on one side wall of the purse.

States Pa1:ent

erred embodiment thereof, is the provision of a combined purse and billfold having a plurality of bill-holding compartments with at least one such compartment disposed on I each side of the purse, the slots or mouths connecting the ends of such bill-holding compartments lying on opposite walls of the purse.

The above and further objects of the invention, such as economy of manufacture and ease of use thereof, will be more readily apparent upon consideration of the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a combined purse and billfold made in accordance with a first disclosed embodiment of the invention, the device being shown with the purse open and the bill-holding or wallet portion'thereof in unfolded condition, the view being taken in a direction toward the normally closed side of the wallet portion, portions of the Still anotherobject of the invention, in another prevarious layers or strips forming the device being broken away at the lower right hand corner of the figure.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the first-embodiment of the device in the condition of Fig. 1, money bills being shown in the two bill-holding compartments in positions in which they are partially endwardly removed from such compartments through slots in a wall of the purse communicating with such compartments, the section being taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the first embodiment of the device with the billfold or wallet portion thereof in folded condition, the purse being in open condition, bills in the billfold compartments being shown partially withdrawn endwise through the slots in a side wall of the purse.

Figure 3a is a diagram showing the connection of the inner .and intermediate strips.

Fig. 4 is a plan of a second embodiment of the combined purse and billfold of the invention, 'the purse being in open position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through such second embodiment of the device, the billfold portion of the device being in unfolded position, the section being taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

As evident from the above, there are shown and described herein two presently preferred embodiments of the combined purse and billfold of the present invention. The first embodiment is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, where it' is generally designated 10; the second embodiment is shown in'Figs. 4 and 5, where it is generally designated 40.

Device 10 has a body formed of superimposed elongated flexible strips made of material such as leather, textile fabric, plastic sheet material, or suitable combinations of such'materials. The body includes an outer, first strip of flexible material 11 of such length that money bills may be laid smoothly against it at their full length. Strip 11 forms an outer wall member of'the body of the device. A second, slightlyshorterintermediate strip 12 of flexible material, and a third, still shorter inner strip 14 of flexible material, in'that order, are superimposed upon strip 11, as shown. Strips 11, 12, and 14 are secured together along their lower edges, as by a row or rows of stitching 15, and are'further'secured together along one side edge, as by a row or rows of stitching 16. The three strips thus define outer, intermediate, and inner wall members respectively, which f'o'rm'two bill-holding compartments 17 (between strips 11 and 12) and 19 (between strips 12 and 14). The compartments are closed at their lower ends (Figs. 1 and 2) and at the edge 18 of the body, but are open at edge 13 of the body. Bills in unfolded condition may thus be introduced into the compartments 17 and 19, when the wallet portion of the device is in unfolded condition, through the open sides of such compartments at side 13 of the body. In Figs. 2 and 3 bills 20 and 21, respectively, are in compartments 17 and19, such bills being shown 3 partially withdrawn endwise from the compartments through slots, to be described, through a side wall of the purse.

The upper portion of inner strip 14 has a further, shorter branch portion 22 connected thereto at the bottom of the latter, as by a row or rows of stitching 24. The V-shaped purse recess or coin compartment of the device is completed by two triangular inserts or gussets 25, of flexible sheet material, which form the opposite end walls of the purse. Gussets 25 are secured at their edges, as by arow or rows of stitching, to the confronting edges of inner strip 14 and branch strip 22. Two frame parts 26 and 27, pivotally connected at their ends at 30 and detachably held in closed position by clasp parts 29, are crimped over or otherwise secured to the upper edges of the branch strip 22, the respective portion of the upper edges of gussets 25, and to the upper edge of outer strip 11-. The upper corners of strip 11 are preferably attached, as by a row of stitching, to the confronting upper corners of the gussets 25 which lie outwardly of the frame part 26. The upper outer corner of intermediate strip 12 is secured to the edge of its confronting gusset 25, outwardly of the inner edge of frame part 26, by stitching 33 extending .for a short length substantially equal to the distance between slots 31 and 32. The inner strip 14 is connected with the gusset 25 by the stitching 33a shown in Figure 3a extending between the stitching 24 and the upper edge or mouth 31 of the strip 14. The strip 22 is connected to the gusset 25 along its entire edge by the stitching 33b.

The left hand side wall of the purse or coin compartment, as it is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is imperforate, being formed by the upper end of branch strip 22 and a layer of purse lining material (not shown in Fig. 2) if such lining material is used. The right hand side wall of the purse has two horizontal slots or mouths 31 and 32 therethrough adjacent the upper edge thereof below the long horizontal edge of frame part 26. Such slots communicate with the ends of bill-holding compartments 17 and 19, respectively, and are of such width as to allow the withdrawal of bills therethrough in flat, fully laterally extended condition. Because of the fact that strip 14 is somewhat shorter than strip 12, and strip 12, in turn, is somewhat shorter than strip 11, the two slots or mouths 31 and 32 are well separated vertically from each other, and both lie well inwardly of the upper edge of the purse. Consequently, the users fingers can readily differentiate between the two slots, so that when he makes the practice of placing all his dollar bills in one bill-holding compartment and bills of higher denomination in the other he may safely withdraw and dispense dollar bills by touch, in a dark or dimly lighted area. Because the slots 31 and 32 are located well up toward the top of the purse side wall, there is little or no tendency for coins to escape from the purse through the slots. For neatness of appearance, and to facilitate removal of bills from the slots or insertion of bills into the compartments through the slots, the upper corners of strips 12 and 14 are bevelled, as shown.

The wallet or bill-holding portion of the device may be folded generally mid-way of its length to form a 'more compact object. To hold the device 10 in such position, there is provided a flap 34 which depends from the long side of frame part 27, the flap carrying an in wardly facing male fastener part 35. Positioned on strip 11 at the bottom of the device so as to cooperate with fastener part 35 is a female fastener part 367 When the wallet portion of the device is folded as in Fig. 3 and the fastener parts are engaged, the device is securely held in the condition there shown. In such folded condition of the device, the purse may be opened and closed at will, and bills may be freely withdrawn from compartments 17 and 19 through slots 31 and 32.

If desired, the device may incorporate card-holding pockets, preferably disposed, as shown, on the lower end of inner strip. In Fig. 2 two such pockets are shown, formed between strip 14 and shorter strips 37 and 39 attached thereto at their side and bottom edges.

The combined purse and billfold 40 of Figs. 4 and 5 differs from that above described by having its bill-holding compartments disposed symmetrically with respect to the purse and on opposite sides therof, and the slots communicating with the ends of the respective bill-holding compartments disposed on opposite side walls of the purse.

As shown in Fig. 5, device 40 includes a first, outer strip 41, a second, inner strip 42, and a third, intermediate strip, generally designated 43, made up of two similar strips 44 and 45 which are face-attached to each other from their bottom edges up to a zone 46 at which they branch away from each other. Strips 41, 42, and 43 are secured together at their bottoms and along one side up to zone 46, the other side edges "being open. A lining layer 47 overlies the upper faces of strips 44 and 45 at their upper branched portions. The purse portion of the device includes two oppositely disposed triangular inserts or gussets 49 which are secured at their edges, as by being sewed, to the confronting edges of the branched upper portions of strips 44 and 45. The upper edges of gussets'49 are secured to the respective rigid C-shaped frame parts 51 and 50, which are pivoted together at their ends at 52. The upper edges of outer and inner strips 41 and 42 are secured to the long horizontal portions of the frame parts. The upper corners of strips 41 and 42 are secured outwardly of the inner edges of the frame parts, as by stitching, to the confronting upper outer corners of the gussets. The upper, branched portions of strips 44 and 45 are somewhat shorter than strips 41 and 42.

There is thus formed a combined purse and billfold having two bill holding compartments 54 (formed by strips 41 and 43) and 55 (formed by strips 42 and 43), symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the purse portion of the device. Since the upper edges of strips 44 and 45, and of the lining 47, lie below the upper edges of strips 41 and 42, and thus below the long portion of frame parts 51 and 50, there are accordingly formed horizontal slots or mouths 56 and 57 communicating, respectively, with the upper ends of bill-holding compartments 54 and 55. Such slots allow the endwise withdrawal in fiat condition of money bills 60 and 61 from the compartments 54 and 55 when the purse portion of device 40 is open as in Figs. 4 and 5. The purse portion may be held closed by the coacting clasp portions 59 on frame parts 50 and 51. Preferably, the upper corners of the upper branched portions of strips 44 and 45 and their lining 47 are ibevelled or slanted off, as shown at 58, to prevent such upper corners from becoming dog-cared and to facilitate the removal of bills from compartments through slots 56 and 57, if desired.

The wallet portion of device 40, like that of device 10, is foldable transversely generally mid-way of its length. A flap 62 is provided on the upper edge of the device confronting its inner side, such flap bearing an inwardly facing fastener part 63 adapted to cooperate with another fastener part (not shown) attached to the lower portion of the outer strip 41.

The device 40 is particularly of advantage, since by reason of the placement of flap 62 on the inner side of the device the user may readily differentiate by feel alone the slot 56 from the slot 57. Thus when bills of one denomination are placed in one compartment and those of another denomination are placed in the other comsince the device is capable of numerous variations as to details. The scope of the invention is, therefore, to be defined by the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

l. A combined purse and billfold comprising an outer strip of flexible material of such length that money bills at their full length may be laid smoothly against it, said outer strip forming an outer wall element, an intermediate strip of flexible material, and an inner strip of flexible material, the intermediate and inner strips forming intermediate and inner wall members, respectively, paralleling the length of the outer strip, the intermediate and inner wall members being attached to the outer wall ele ment along the bottom edge and along one side to form two separate parallel bill compartments, one of said wall members having a branch portion, foldable end wall members interposed between said one wall member and said branch portion to form a V-shaped coin compartment open at the top to define an entrance for'access to said coin compartment, the upper ends of the bill compartments communicating with the interior of the coin compartment through slots formed in the latter, said slots accommodating the ends of paper money bills, said outer wall element and said intermediate and inner wall members being foldable transversely to their length.

2. A combined purse and billfold comprising an outer strip of flexible material of such length that money bills at their full length may be laid smoothly against it, said outer strip forming an outer wall member, an intermediate strip of flexible material, and an inner strip of flexible material the intermediate and inner strips of material forming intermediate and inner wall members, respectively, paralleling the length of the outer strip, the intermediate and inner wall members being attached to the outer wall member along the bottom edge and along one side to form two separate parallel bill compartments, said intermediate wall member having a branch member, said branch member having interposed between it and said intermediate wall member foldable end wall members to form a V-shaped coin compartment open at the top to define an entrance for access to said coin compartment, the upper ends of the intermediate Wall member and its branch lying below the upper ends of the outer and inner wall members and forming a part of the side Walls of the coin compartment, the upper ends of the intermediate Wall and its branch being attached at their sides to the end wall members, whereby slots communicating with the respective bill compartments are formed between the intermediate wall member and its branch and the respective outer and inner wall members for accommodating the ends of paper money bills, the wall members being foldable intermediate their length so that portions of the inner wall member confront each other.

3. A combined purse and billfold comprising an outer strip of flexible material of such length that money bills at their full length may be laid smoothly against it, said outer strip forming an outer wall member, an intermediate strip of flexible material, and an inner strip of flexible material, the intermediate and inner strips of material forming intermediate and inner wall members, respectively, paralleling the length of the outer strip, the intermediate and inner wall members being attached to the outer wall member along the bottom edge and along one side to form two separate parallel bill compartments, said intermediate wall member having a branch member, said branch member having interposed between it and said intermediate wall member foldable end wall members to form a V-shaped coin compartment open at the top to define an entrance for access to said coin compartment, the upper ends of the intermediate wall member and its branch lying below the upper ends of the outer and inner wall members and forming a part of the inner side of the coin compartment, the upper ends of the intermediate wall and its branch being attached at their sides to the end wall members outwardly of the sides of the entrance of the coin compartment, whereby slots on opposite side walls of the purse communicating with the respective bill compartments are formed between the intermediate wall member and its branch and the respective outer and inner wall members for accommodating the ends of paper money bills, the wall members being foldable intermediate their length so that portions of the inner wall member confront each other, and means for detachably securing the wall members in such folded condition.

4. A combined purse and billfold comprising an outer strip of flexible material of such length that money bills at their full length may be laid smoothly against it, said outer strip forming an outer wall member, an intermediate strip of flexible material, and an inner strip of flexible material, the intermediate and inner strips of material forming intermediate and inner wall members, respectively, paralleling the length of the outer strip, the intermediate and inner wall members being attached to the outer wall member along the bottom edge and along one side to form two separate parallel bill compartments, said intermediate wall member having a branch member, said branch member having interposed between it and said intermediate wall member foldable end wall members to form a V-shaped coin compartment open at the top to define an entrance for access to said coin compartment, the upper ends of the intermediate Wall member and its branch lying below the upper ends of the outer and inner wall members and forming a part of the inner side walls of the coin compartment, the upper ends of the intermediate wall and its branch being attached at their sides to the end wall members, whereby slots communicating with the respective bill compartments are formed between the intermediate wall member and its branch and the respective outer and inner wall members for accommodating the ends of paper money bills, the wall members being foldable intermediate their length so that portions of the inner wall member confront each other, the slots being located in the opposite side walls of the coin compartment adjacent the upper edges of such Walls, the upper ends of the intermediate wall member and its branch forming the greater part of the opposite side walls of the coin compartment.

5. A combined purse and billfold, comprising an outer strip of flexible material forming an outer wall member of such length that money bills may be laid at their full length smoothly against it, an intermediate strip of flexible material forming an intermediate wall member of shorter length than said outer wall member and having a lower edge located opposite the lower edge of said outer wall member, said outer wall member and said intermediate Wall member forming one bill compartment for. money bills of a certain denomination, an inner strip of flexible material forming an inner wall member of shorter length than said intermediate wall member and having a lower edge located opposite the lower edges of said outer and intermediate wall members, said intermediate wall member and said inner wall member forming a second bill compartment for money bills of a different denomination, said intermediate and inner wall members paralleling the length of said outer wall member, said lower edges of the wall members being connected together to close one end of each of the two bill compartments, said wall members being connected together along one side to close the two bill compartments along one side, said wall members having other unattached side edges providing entrances for the insertion of bills into the two bill compartments, a branch member connected along its lower edge to said inner wall member intermediate the upper and lower edges of said inner wall member and extending opposite said outer and intermediate wall members, whereby a coin compartment is formed between said branch member and an upper portion of said inner wall member, triangular end wall members respectively connecting opposite side edges of said branch member and of the upper portion of said inner wall member to form the end walls of the coin 7 compartment, and means secured to the upper edges of said branch member and said outer wall member to releasably connect these upper edges to close the coin compartment, the upper edge of said branch member being located opposite the upper edge of said outer wall member when the coin compartment is closed, the upper edge of said intermediate wall extending below the upper edge of said outer wall member and being attached adjacent the corners only to said outer wall member, whereby a slot is formed between the upper edge of said intermediate wall member and said outer Wall member on the inner side of said coin compartment to provide communication between said coin compartment and said one bill compartment, the upper edge of said inner Wall member extending below the upperedge of said intermediate wall member and forming with said intermediate l 8 5 wall member a second slot locat tioned slot on the inner side of said coin compartment to provide communication between said coin compartment and said second bill compartment, said wall members being foldable against said branch member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,298,543 Schmidt Oct. 13, 1942 2,428,707 Hardy Oct. 7, 1947 2,512,588 St. Thomas June 20, 1950 2,520,465 Koch Aug. 29, 1950 2,720,904 Ieiiery Oct. 18, 1955 2,788,824 Broughton Apr. 16, 1957 ed below the first-men 

